January 2009 – December 2012

Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter

The Purpose

Charitable giving to alleviate the suffering caused by arthritis is a worthy goal, but The Patterson Foundation wanted to do more than simply provide a gift to honor the legacy of Dorothy Patterson, who had rheumatoid arthritis. Through a partnership with the Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter, The Patterson Foundation set out to accelerate impact of the organization by combining matching gifts with expertise.

Strengthening the Impact

The Patterson Foundation strengthened the efforts of the Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter by providing strategic communications coaching to inspire the generous communities throughout the state and by working with AFFC to leverage social media and other online and offline assets to generate awareness of the annual Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis. The results were impressive, with the number of event participants rising from 3,997 in 2009 to 8,892 in 2012. The number of participating sponsors for AFFC events grew from just 42 in 2009 to 365 in 2012. By working together, The Patterson Foundation and AFFC created sustainable momentum.

FAQsClick on frequently asked questions below to learn more about this initiative...

Why did The Patterson Foundation support this initiative?

Honoring the legacy of Dorothy Patterson, The Patterson Foundation focused on accelerating the impact of the Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter by strengthening its capacity to inspire giving through strategic communications and incentivizing giving through a matching challenge.

What was the impact of the work?

There were many accomplishments in the four years of working with the Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter. Here are the highlights:

The organization increased its fundraising 300 percent statewide.

$700,000 of TPF match funds seeded an endowment.

Who can I contact about the Arthritis Foundation – Florida Chapter initiative?

For more information about this past initiative, contact Michael Corley, Senior Consultant for TPF Administration: mcorley@thepattersonfoundation.org.